About This Dish
A sweet and savory tagine featuring chicken nestled in a bed of deeply caramelized onions with plump golden raisins. The onions are cooked so slowly they dissolve into an almost jam-like consistency, creating a natural sauce that is rich, sweet, and deeply complex. This is one of the simplest tagines to prepare yet one of the most rewarding. It is a staple of Moroccan home cooking and is often the first tagine recipe taught to young cooks. The dish perfectly exemplifies the Moroccan philosophy that great food requires patience, not complexity.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Chicken pieces (thighs and legs)
- 1 kg Onions, thinly sliced
- 150 g Golden raisins
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1.5 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Saffron threads
- 1 tsp Ground ginger
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- to taste Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup Water
Instructions
- 1
Season chicken with salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, and half the cinnamon.
- 2
Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Brown chicken and remove.
- 3
Add remaining butter and all onions. Cook on very low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 4
When onions are golden and jammy, return chicken. Add water, cover, and cook 30 minutes.
- 5
Add raisins, honey, and remaining cinnamon. Cook uncovered 15 minutes until sauce is thick.
- 6
Serve garnished with extra raisins and a dust of cinnamon.
Tips & Tricks
- The secret is the onion quantity — use a full kilo for 4 people. They cook down dramatically.
- Low, slow heat transforms onions from sharp and pungent to deeply sweet.
- Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes before adding for plumper results.